Intertwined Lives
by disturbed-girl
Summary: Someone new comes into Spot’s life, but with her comes her past. Problems arise between the two when things are revealed. Spot must relive his past. Will the two be able to overcome the great obstacles that lay ahead of them? COMPLETE
1. Default Chapter

***Disclaimer***I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I don't own any of the characters except, Leigh, Ten, (Aunt) Claire, Rick, Conlon, Donna, Charles, and Red (There might be more, I think that's it though).  
  
Intertwined Lives  
  
"Love starts with a smile, grows with a kiss, and ends with a tear." Unknown.  
  
Spot alone sat at the edge of 'his' dock. Hours had past since he had arrived there. The water lapped against the side of the weather worn dock, filling Spot's ears with a soothing and familiar sound. He reached inside of his shirt and pulled out a key on a chain that hung around his neck. He stared at it. His eyes held a look of want and hopelessness within them. Sadness filled those wanting eyes and a single tear escaped them. He rubbed his thumb tenderly against the key's warn teeth. Memories began to flood his mind, memories that were so dear and precious that it hurt to think of them. But he let the memories take hold of him. He let his mind take him back in time.  
  
"Hey Spot where are yous off to?" Ten, a Brooklyn newsie, asked upon seeing Spot leaving the Brooklyn peer. Spot turned around at the sound of the question.  
  
"I'll be back later." Turning back around he continued his walk. Spot kept to himself. He believed that not trusting in others protected him, from hurt, rejection, and betrayal. From his own experiences he came to the belief that it was better and safer that way. If he were going somewhere he would just simply state it and leave. Sometimes he would leave and not come back for days. The leader of the Brooklyn newsies needed to escape from his everyday life.  
  
Lately Spot had a lot of things on his mind. The "bulls" had been after him for some time now. Supposedly he was to be blamed for the death of a person. Spot continued walking. He really didn't know where he was going, in fact it didn't really matter to him, and as long as he was walking he felt he could clear his head and think better. "Maybe I'll stop and see how Jack and his boys are doin'." So it was decided that he would head for Manhattan. The spring breeze played about him as he walked.  
  
As he continued on noise began to fill his ears. It seemed to be coming from above him, on the roofs. He stopped to see what it was. As he looked up a force fell down upon him, sending him to the ground. "What da hell!" He looked to see what was on top of him and realized that it was a person. He was about to yell at the person but before he could say anything a police whistle sounded from behind. With the sound of the whistle both Spot and the person who fell upon him got off of the ground and ran in the opposite direction of where the police were.  
  
The two of them ran side by side. They turned a few corners and went up a fire escape, loosing the police. They both stopped to rest on the roof. Spot looked across the roof to see the person he was with. To his surprise it wasn't a guy, it was a girl, a beautiful girl at that.  
  
"Sorry about dat back there." She said while adjusting her cap. She looked at him, noticing the strange look he was giving her. "Are you okay?"  
  
Spot studied her for a moment. She was beautiful. He was surprised to see that she was dressed as a guy. The girl continued to stare at him. Spot realized that she was waiting for a response.  
  
"Yeah, I'm alright." He finally answered. "Da names Conlon, Spot Conlon." Spot put his hand out to shake hers.  
  
The girl placed her hand in his. "Da names Leigh."  
  
Spot jolted forward. "I can't keep doin' this to myself. I have ta get her out of me head! I can't dough. Everythin' reminds me of er." Spot looked down at his hand, the hand that had held Leigh's. He closed it into a fist, shoving it into his pant's pocket. And the memories started again.  
  
"Hey der Leigh!" Jack greeted Leigh as he saw her entering Tibbys. Leigh and Spot had been together for a couple of weeks now. All the newsies knew and liked Leigh, who had become a part of their family. Spot and Leigh were especially close.  
  
"Hi der Cowboy." Leigh said with a warm smile. Jack smiled back at her and then put his attention back to the conversation he and Racetrack were having. Leigh saw Spot sitting in the both opposite of Jack's, waiting for her. She walked over and sat next to him.  
  
"Hey der angel." Spot said with a grin while Leigh made herself comfortable by taking off her cap. Leigh exchanged the grin with a smile. 'God I love dat smile!' Spot thought to himself. "Never have my eyes seen such a beautiful smile." He said with a look of mischief.  
  
"If you don't stop looking at me like dat I'll make your nose regret it." Leigh gave Spot a challenging look.  
  
"Yeah, I know you will. It still hurts from da last time." Leigh laughed.  
  
"Well yous deserved it." She said while she leaned over the table to give Spot's nose a quick peck. "There. All better?"  
  
"Certainly is now." Spot said with a smile. Spot had ordered their food before Leigh had gotten there, so in no time the food arrived and they began to eat. The bell to the door behind them rang; meaning someone just entered Tibby's. Jack looked up from where he was sitting to see if it was David, who he was waiting for. It wasn't David, it was the police. Jack turned quickly to Racetrack.  
  
"Shit! Da bulls are here!" Racetrack looked up and saw them.  
  
"We gotta get Spot outta here!" Racetrack said while turning back to Jack. Jack nodded his head in agreement. Jack no longer had to run from the police, but now Spot had to. Jack casually got up from his seat and walked over to where Spot and Leigh were sitting.  
  
"Spot." The two looked up at him.  
  
"What is it Cowboy?" Spot asked. Jack tilted his head toward the entrance.  
  
"Da bulls are here." Spot and Leigh both quickly hid their faces. Jack saw Leigh hiding and wondered why she was. Spot was wondering the same thing. He knew from their first encounter that the police were after her, but he never did ask her why.  
  
"Look Leigh, dere's a back door to da place. Walk straight back and next to the last table, by the coat-rack, turn da corner, the door is dere. After ya leave you'll be in an alley. Don't run down it. Go up the fire escape ladder that's behind the opened door. I'll meet ya on the roof." Leigh nodded at Spot's instructions. "I'll leave shortly after ya." Leigh got up and followed Spot's directions.  
  
After a few minutes Spot got up from the table to leave the same way. While making his way to the back door one of the policemen saw and recognized him. The policeman reached for his whistle to alarm the others with him. Jack, noticing this, quickly took action. He looked around to see what he could do. A waiter crossing the room with a tray of food caught his eye. Jack ran in front of him, causing the food to spill everywhere, delaying the policemen. Spot ran out of the door and up to the roof where Leigh stood anxiously awaiting him. Spot ran toward her and took her hand and they ran to the other side of the roof.  
  
"He knows what he's doin'. I wonder why da bulls are after him?" Leigh thought to herself. On the other side of the roof there was a pipe along the side of the building. Spot lifted his leg over the edge of the wall and grabbed the pipe. He quickly crawled down it. There was still quit a distance from the end of the pipe till the ground. He jumped and landed in a squatting position, he then stood up. Leigh quickly followed him in the same way. As she was crawling over the wall she didn't know that a policeman was behind her. Spot looked up and saw the man dressed in blue.  
  
"Jump Leigh!"  
  
Leigh looked down at him. "He wants me ta jump from here?! He's crazy!" Leigh continued to look at him and then noticed he was not looking at her. She followed his gaze and saw a hand reaching for her. She quickly turned, taking in a breath of air, and closing her eyes, she jumped. Spot stood below waiting to catch her. Leigh fell right into his arms. She opened her tightly shuteyes as she felt Spot's strong arms holding her. Leigh's hair was in his face. He inhaled the smell of it sudely.  
  
"God she smells good!" Leigh's hand griped around his shoulder.  
  
"My god is he every built." She moved her head so that she could see Spot's face. Their eyes locked. Spot moved his head towards hers, as she bent hers up. Their lips joined together. They stayed like that for only a moment. But for both of them that moment was what their entire lives were for. A police whistle blew, causing them to end their sweet kiss. They both got off of the ground and ran away together. 


	2. Past Relived

***Disclaimer***I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I don't own any of the characters except, Leigh, Ten, (Aunt) Claire, Rick, Conlon, Donna, Charles, and Red (There might be more, I think that's it though). ***Notes***I'm going to try and update once a week. At least that's what I am hoping to do.  
  
Chapter Two (Past Relived)  
  
"As we live on, we lose a little bit more. Shrouded in falsehoods and lies, we stand frozen to the spot, unable to cry out." (Fukai Mori; Deep Forest)  
  
Spot gets up from the dock he is sitting on. He takes a cigarette out of his pant's pocket. He puts it to his lips and holds it there, while with the other hand takes a match out of the same pocket. He lights the match and then the cigarette. Flicking away the match he begins to walk, where, he wasn't sure. He inhales the smoke from the cigarette, letting it fill his lungs. He continues to walk and think of her, Leigh.  
  
"Nooo! Dad!!!!! It's going to be fine dad!"  
  
"Wo,wo, it's okay. Hey, it's okay. Leigh, Leigh, wake up." Spot says to Leigh as he tries to awaken her from a fitful dream. Spot leans in closer to her.  
  
"Nooo!" Leigh shouts as she punches Spot hard in the chin. Spot falls back in shock and from the hard punch that landed upon him.  
  
"Oww!" Spot grabs his chin.  
  
"Oh my gosh! Spot I'm SO sorry! I didn't mean ta, honest!" Leigh gets out of her bed and runs to Spot. "I was still half asleep and, and, oh I'm sorry." Leigh stammers in the confusion of all that just happened.  
  
"It's okay. Geez do you got a good right hook!" Spot says with a slight smile. Leigh smiles, her face turning crimson. "You're stronger den some of me boys! Remind me not ta get in a fight width you." Leigh was glade to see that Spot wasn't seriously hurt, and that he wasn't mad at her.  
  
"So, what was all dat about?" Spot asks. Leigh looks at him. She knows that he is talking about her dream. Spot notices in her eyes that she really doesn't want to talk about it. She turns her eyes to the ground, not able to stare into his gaze any longer. "Hey it's alright. Forget I asked."  
  
"No. It's nothin'. I was just dreaming about da past. You see about a year ago my dad was killed in front of me. But I really don't care ta talk about it now." She pauses. "You're not mad are yous?" Leigh looks up at Spot to see if she can read his face.  
  
Spot places his arm around her waist. "Of course I ain't mad at you! Trust me, I have plenty of things from my past dat I really don't care ta think about." Spot gives Leigh a reassuring squeeze. "If you ever do need to talk, I am a good listener." Leigh gives him a look of thanks.  
  
"I'll be sure ta remember dat."  
  
The following day Spot asked Leigh if she would like to go to Manhattan for the day. "The boys dere are plannin' on going to a show. Ya see every Friday we get tagether. They want ta know if we would like ta go width em."  
  
"Sure! That would be great!" Leigh decided that she needed to have some fun. Going out with her friends would be the ideal thing to do.  
  
"Good. We'll be leavin' here shortly then." Spot digs his hand into his pocket looking for a cigarette. His fingertips feel one and with satisfaction he pulls it out and lights it while bringing it up to his mouth. Shortly afterwards they were crossing the Brooklyn bridge to meet with the rest of the newsies that were going out that night.  
  
The two of them walk at an easy pace. Leigh begins to slow down until she comes to a stop. Noticing, Spot turns to see what's wrong. "Is everythin' okay?" He takes hold of Leigh's hand. Leigh looks at his hand, then follows it up his arm, until her gaze falls upon his face.  
  
"It might not be right of me ta ask, but,"  
  
"But what?" Spot says, trying to get her to continue.  
  
"Well I was just wonderin,' how did you became a newsie?" Spot's eyes held a look of pain within them after hearing Leigh's question. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't of asked. Forget about-"  
  
"No." Spot interrupts. "It's okay. I just haven't thought about da past in a long time. Your question made me realize that it's still dere."  
  
"You really don't have ta go into it." Leigh says while placing her free hand over Spot's hand, which is holding her other hand.  
  
"No, it's fine. Come on, let's walk and talk." They release hands and continue across the bridge. "Jack is the only udder person who knows about me past." Spot starts to tell Leigh what lead him to wear he was today. "It's not like there's anythin' really ta hide, it's just dat, as you already know, I'm sure ya have noticed, I keep ta myself." Spot looks beside him to see Leigh nod her head in agreement. He takes it as his que to continue.  
  
"While giving birth to me me mudder died. I guess Rick," Spot turns to look at Leigh. "that's me fadder," Leigh nods her head to show she understands. He then looks straight ahead and continues. "well I guess he took her death preddy hard. He blamed me for what happened ta er." Spot let out a sigh and began to relive the past.  
  
"Aunt Claire, pleeeease don't go!" A small child of about the age of five holds onto an older woman's green long wool skirt. He continues to beg. "I'll be good. I promise! Just don't go!!" The woman kneels down to look at the little boy's face. His clear crystal blue eyes are blurred with tears, and his cheeks damp from those that have escaped. "Don't you love me?" He asks her.  
  
"There now little one." The woman places her hands on the heaving shoulders of the crying boy. "You're not a bad little boy. I do love ye, and I always shall. I want to stay with ye, but I can't any longer." She spoke with a fading Irish accent.  
  
"But why? Take me with you, just don't leave me here!" Tim says pleadingly. Tears weld in the woman's eyes now. She had been trying so hard not to cry, but she could not fight the tears any longer.  
  
"You're da doesn't want me here anymore, because he says," She tries to think quickly of an excuse that would not upset the boy about his father. "he says that I'm to old ta be takin' care of ye. He wants me ta rest. Do you understand that?" She looks into his eyes. He nods his head. "I'm sorry I can't take care of ye anymore. But don't worry, I'll come and visit you." Knowing that she had just lied to the child tore her heart apart.  
  
Rick, Tim's father, walks into the room. He looks at Claire with disgust, lets out a grunt, and then says, "It's time for you ta leave Claire." Claire slowly nods and then begins to rise.  
  
"I love you Aunt Claire!" Tim tightly places his small arms around her before she can get up. Tears stream down both of their cheeks.  
  
"I love you too darling." She gives a quick hug back and then is grabbed by the arm and forced out the door.  
  
Rick slams the door behind them and then looks at Claire. "Now you get out of here and don't come back! I'm sick of you tellin' me how ta raise my child and always tellin' me what ta do! GO!" Claire looks directly into his eyes, and then turns and walks down the unsanitary hallway, to leave and never return.  
  
"Aunt Claire raised me since me mudder died and me fadder was never home. She was the only mudder I ever had. I never saw her after dat." Spot shrugged his shoulders to help bring him out of the memories. Leigh felt absolutely horrible for asking Spot to relive such a horrible past.  
  
"Spot you don't have ta continue. I understand."  
  
"No. I want you ta understand me bedder. Ta do so ya gotta know my past." He continues. "Well, as soon as Aunt Claire left I knew that I was in big trouble. Ya see, she always protected me from Rick. Now no one was there for me."  
  
"What da hell do ya think you're doin'!?" Rick's shout causes Tim to jump. He didn't know how to answer. "If I answer him he'll hit me, if I don't answer him he'll hit me." Tim thought to himself, weighing his options. He decides to keep quite. "Get over here you little shit!!!" Tim obeys and drops the broom he had been using to clean up the broken liquor bottles that lay on the floor from the previous night. He crosses the small room until he stops in front of his father. "Are you causing problems again? Huh? HUH?!" Tim inhales the all too familiar smell of liquor off of his father's breath as he is violently shaken. His father reeks of cigar and cigarette smoke from the bar that he spent every night at after work.  
  
Tim inwardly cursed himself for not estimating when he would be home. "I didn't think he would be coming home for at least a few more hours." To avoid his father's wrath he had learned that the best thing to do was keep out of his sight. But sometimes that didn't always work. Several nights Rick would come home and yank him out of his bed to use him as a punching bag. Tim braces himself for what he knows is coming any moment, and sure enough there it was, the first blow to the stomach.  
  
Tim raps his arms tightly around his stomach, trying to do anything to relieve the pain. He is unable to concentrate on his stomach long, for another punch lands on his already blue and swollen eye. He didn't really cry out that much while the beating continued. This was routine for him. He had learned that crying out only made the punches harder and quicker. His father raises the small seven-year-old frame off of the ground and slams him against the old worn wall. Tim falls unconscious to the floor, where he will remain for hours.  
  
"Oh god Spot! That's awful!" Leigh grabs Spot's hand that is hanging down at his side. This pulls Spot out of his memories. He looks at Leigh and reads her face.  
  
"She cares so much about me. What did I do ta deserve her?" "Thanks Leigh." He says while giving her hand a squeeze. "Well, the beatings continued, and Rick started to spend more and more of his time at da bars, rather than at work or at home. Now the home part I didn't mind at all. But without him working there was absolutely no food. That's when I started ta leave the complex and go looking for food on da streets."  
  
A small boy, at the age of seven, walks down the chipping cement stairs that lead into his complex, and steps into the busy streets of Manhattan. He looks around to make sure that his father is nowhere in sight. He then begins his journey into the chaotic surroundings that lie all around him.  
  
He had been outside the complex very few times. Everything was so interesting and new to him. He wondered the side streets for a long time, making sure that he knew at all times how to get back to the complex.  
  
"Gees, I'm wastin' way too much time. Dad will probably be home late tanight, but I want ta make sure I get home early, just in-case." Tim thinks to himself as he exits an alley and enters a busy main street. "Now back ta what I'm here for, food." With that Tim glances around to find what he would think to be a good victim. Without any experience in stealing he was going to go for the easiest target there was. He sees a man in his twenties and thinks best not to try him. He continues searching the crowd and spots a woman fussing with her infant. "No, that's too low for me ta go." Next his eyes rest on a preoccupied boy who looks to be in his teens. "Well dat seems ta be the only option I's got."  
  
He quietly approaches the boy from behind. He figures it was best to try and do it as quickly as possible, so he wouldn't be noticed. He reaches the boy and is about to reach into his pocket for any money he could use to buy food with, but he stops. "Come on just do it! But what if I get caught! I have ta do it, I need ta eat." Tim makes up his mind and reaches into the pocket and quickly pulls out a few pennies. Pleased he turns and runs away.  
  
"I did it! Yes!!!!!!!" Tim gleefully runs down the street. He has successfully stolen on his first try. While passing an alley he trips and falls on something. He looks to see what it is and sees a foot. He follows the foot to the leg that is attached to it, he continues to travel his gaze upwards until he comes upon the face of the boy he had stolen from. Tim's mouth drops open. "Oh no!" Was all that went through his mind.  
  
"You thought I didn't see ya steelin' from me? Boy are you a stupid one!" The boy grabs Tim by his dirty collar and pulls him into the alley. Tim is thrown against the rough brick wall. "This is not good." He thinks to himself. "I'll just have ta teach ya a lesson." With that said the boy throws his first punch into Tim's already bruised ribs. To the boy's surprise the child did not cry out in pain. He threw another punch into him. Nothing. The young boy didn't groan or anything. Of course he wasn't punching the kid as hard as he could. He just wanted to teach the kid a lesson, not kill him, but still the kid wasn't reacting.  
  
Tim accepted the few punches that landed upon him. But then something inside of him snapped. He couldn't just take being beaten up anymore. He lunged forward onto the now surprised older boy. "What da hell?" Was all the older boy could say as the child he had just been punching came at him, his fists flying. "Now this has never happened before." He thought to himself as he accepted the punches. The hits he took didn't hurt much, but they did have power behind them for such a small boy.  
  
The older boy had had enough. He grabbed Tim's hands and forced them down to his side. He looked at the child who had one black and blue eye, which he was positive he didn't give him. "Gees you're a fighter. What's your name kid?" Tim looked at him confused. "Why does he want ta know my name?" Sensing the child's uneasiness the boy decided to take a different approach. He releases the child's arms and then speaks. "Me names Conlon, Conlon O'Brian." He spat into his hand and then extended it in the child's direction. Tim looked at it, unsure. He then thought, "What da heck." Following the older boy's actions he spat into his hand and placed it into the older boy's, that he now knew as Conlon.  
  
"Da name's Tim." They shook hands and a friendship began.  
  
"That's how I met Conlon. Later I learned that he was visiting some of his friends in Manhattan, and he was actually the leader of the Brooklyn newsies. I found out what a newsie was and whenever Rick left for a long time I would go an sell papes with em and his gang in Brooklyn. He taught me everythin' I know. He was like a brudder, or ya could say, even like a fadder ta me." 


	3. Adieu

***Disclaimer***I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I don't own any of the characters except, Leigh, Ten, (Aunt) Claire, Rick, Conlon, Donna, Charles, and Red (There might be more, I think that's it though).  
  
***Warning***Swearing and violence are in this chapter.  
  
"It's time to say goodbye, I know that in time It will just fade away, it's time to say goodbye." (Adieu; Good-Bye: Cowboy Bebop)  
  
"Tim! Where ya been kid? It's been a while since I'se seen ya." Conlon moved toward Tim, they were both crossing the Brooklyn Bridge. Tim looked up at Conlon. His face looked as if someone had taken a club to it. Conlon, knowing that Tim's father was abusive, figured that's what had happened to him. Tim held his side and he looked like he was favoring his right leg as he walked.  
  
"Shit kid! What da hell did your pops do to ya?" Conlon hurried to Tim's side.  
  
"It ain't dat bad." Tim said as he gratefully let Conlon wrap his arm around his waist to help him walk. As Conlon placed his arm around the small boy's waist he felt a wet substance. Removing his arm to see what it was he was taken aback by the bloodstained shirt that Tim wore.  
  
"Oh god Tim! You're bleedin'!" Conlon quickly took his vest off to cover the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.  
  
"I am?" Tim asked. Conlon noticed how dazed and out of it the boy sounded. Tim sat on Colon's knee while he treated the wound. Conlon's one arm supported Tim's back, and the other treated the wound. Tim became unconscious.  
  
Conlon took care of him for the rest of the day and until he awoke, early the next morning. "Kid, you're not goin' back ta your old man. You're gonna stay here width me from now on." Tim looked at Conlon.  
  
"But I can't. What if he comes lookin' for me?" Thinking about what would happen to him if he did runaway and was found made him shudder.  
  
"He won't look for ya." Conlon paused for a moment. "Ta him you're nothin'." He regretfully said. Tim nodded his head in agreement. "The way I see it is dat he'll be so drunk that'll never realize it. You'll be safe here width us kid." After a few moments of thinking Tim spat into his hand and held it out to Conlon, accepting his offer.  
  
"So from then on I was a true newsie." Spot looked up and saw that they had already reached the Manhattan Lodging House. "That's funny."  
  
"What's funny?" Confused she looked at Spot to see him smiling.  
  
"We're already here. I don't remember nothin' accept walkin' across da bridge." Leigh looked to see where they were. To her surprise they were at the Lodging House.  
  
"I guess we didn't-"  
  
"Hey guys! How ya doin'?" Mush asked, unknowingly interrupting Leigh, as he approached the two. Spot smiled at his friend.  
  
"We're doin' good." Spot looked over at Leigh and he read her eyes, which said, 'we'll finish this latter.'  
  
The night went by quickly. The group went to a show and now resided at the Manhattan Lodging House. A game of poker was taking place and re- enactments of past fights or occurrences filled everyone's ears. Leigh, Spot, and the others sat listening and watching Kid Blink tell a story about the fight he had witnessed three years ago, between Spot and Jack.  
  
"and then Jack takes his bottle of whisky and flings it at Spot's head." Kid Blink did the motions of throwing a bottle while he spoke. "The bottle misses his head just barley! Spot looks at the broken bottle that is next ta him on da ground, then looks at Jack, who's got his arms crossed like dis." Kid Blink crosses his arms in front of his chest. "He then charges em, knocking dem both down to da ground!" Laughter fills the small bunkroom. "So da two of dem, drunk off their asses, are rollin' in the street fightin'."  
  
Jack gets up from where he was sitting. "I think that it's time for ya ta get a new story Blink. You'se been tellin' da same one for tree years now." Everyone laughs; they've all heard the story at least once before.  
  
"Yeah, but it's still funny as hell." Kid Blink says in defense while flashing a smile.  
  
"Ah, come on Jack. It's hilarious ta hear about you and Spot duken it out." Jake says.  
  
"I'm shocked! You shouldn't be saying such dings, your cousin bein' a priest and all." Jack says with a smile.  
  
"That's my cousin, not me, I can still enjoy hearin' about dat kind of stuff." Jack shakes his head.  
  
"Besides, we don't even know if it really happened." Jack says as he walks towards the entrance of the laboratory.  
  
"Oh it happened! You two were just too drunk ta remember it!" Kid Blink says while laughing. "Besides, how else would you explain how you got all dem bruises the next mornin' when you woke up?" Jack already entered the laboratory, ignoring Kid Blink's question.  
  
Leigh grabs Spot's hand, which rested on his leg. He looks at her to see her motion to go outside. He nods his head and the two of them get up and make their way to the window and out onto the fire escape.  
  
"What's da matter?" Spot asks, concern coating his voice. Leigh pulls herself up onto the railing and sits down.  
  
"Nothing." She says with a smile. "I just need some fresh air. The smoke was startin' ta get to me." Spot nods his head, even though he hadn't been bothered by it. Leigh takes a deep breath of the cool air that hinted fall was on its way. "Finish the story Spot."  
  
"I can't. I don't remember what happened." Leigh looks at him strangely.  
  
"Oh, no! Not dat story. I want ta hear about your past." Spot's head tilts up as he let out a small laugh.  
  
"Oh, dat one." He walks over to Leigh and hoists himself up onto the railing to sit next to her. "Well after deciding ta stay width Conlon and his newsies life got a lot bedder." Leigh watches Spot's eyes, as they grow distant, they seem to be seeing the past. "I stayed in Brooklyn and quickly became one of da best Brooklyn newsies. I thought dat Rick had forgotten all about me. But it ends up dat I was wrong."  
  
"Governor's dog gives birth ta two cats! Extra! Extra! Tim shouted out the headline that he was 'improving.' A curious woman purchased a paper and continued on her way. He counted how many papers he had left to sell. "Only six left." Satisfied he continued hawking the headline until he felt his arm being grabbed by someone. He turned around, expecting it to be a customer. But his eyes fell upon his father's face.  
  
"You little shit!" He screamed as he pulled the boy into an alleyway. Tim struggled to break the grip that his father had on him, but to no avail, he was forced into the alley.  
  
"Let me go!!" He screamed loudly. His father only laughed. He forced him into a corner and began to attack him. Tim tried to viciously fight back. But he was pinned against the wall and was unable to move much. Rick drew his hand back to get more force in-between his punches. But as he was about to bring his hand toward his son's face it was stopped. Rick turned to see what held his hand back. His eyes met a boy in his late teens.  
  
"I don't think so!" With his free hand Conlon punched Rick in the nose.  
  
"What da!" Was all Rick could say when he grabbed his now broken nose. A knee landed in the man's stomach.  
  
"He's not your concern anymore!" Hate and anger left Conlon's voice as he continued to let his rage out upon the man. Tim watched in awe. As the fight progressed Rick began to return his share of punches. Conlon fell to the ground after a hard punch made contact with his left cheek. As he started to get up Rick bent over and pulled a small knife out of his boot.  
  
"Look out!" Tim shouted, seeing the weapon. Conlon looked up, but it was too late. The knife pierced through his right upper arm. Conlon shouted out in pain. The knife went in deep. Rick pulled it out and went to stab him again. Tim raced over and jumped on his father's back. This gave Conlon time to get up from the ground. Rick thrashed back and forth until he finally flung his son off of him. Tim's head hit the ground hard, knocking him out.  
  
Conlon charged Rick as he had his back turned. The two fell upon the ground. Rick, still holding the knife, thrusted it into Conlon's side. Conlon squeezed his eyes tightly shut, while he felt his ribs beneath the blade break. Opening his eyes he saw Tim lying on the ground. Anger filling him entirely he lashed out at Rick. Surprised, Rick dropped the knife. Conlon reached for it, and when he finally held it in his hand he jabbed it into Rick's chest. Blood began to escape Rick's mouth. He struggled, trying to fight his death, but finally it over took him. Tim regained consciousness. He looked over to see his father unmoving on the ground. He then heard a cry of pain. His eyes fell upon a bleeding Conlon.  
  
"Conlon!" He quickly forgot about his father and ran to Conlon. He reached him as he was falling. Tim caught him before he hit the ground. Conlon began to cough, allowing blood to escape from his parted lips. "Oh no!!" Tim screamed as tears freely fell from his eyes. He placed his hand over the stab wound on Conlon's side, hoping to slow the blood that flowed from it. Conlon began to shake with convulsions. Tim held him tightly, trying to comfort him.  
  
"Don't die on me Conlon! You're all I'se have! You can't leave me. You can't!" Conlon looked up at him. He slowly began to speak with much effort.  
  
"I ain't gonna-" Conlon stopped as he tried to fill his lungs with air. "leave ya kid." Tears began to fall down his cheeks. "I'm always gonna be here." Violent coughs of blood reign upon him. He gasps for air. "Don't look back..you're strong an you'll be okay."  
  
"NO Conlon! I'm not strong! I need you! You're da leader, you're da leader Conlon!" Conlon reached his shaking hand up to Tim's face.  
  
"No, you are." His hand fell as his eyes closed.  
  
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!!!! Conlon!! CONLON!!!!!!!!!!!"  
  
Spot's hands tightly gripped the railing. All color left them, leaving them white as the first winter frost. "After dat I was the leader of Brooklyn. Of course I had ta fight ta get and keep dat position. Ya see, da older boys didn't want to take orders from a kid." Spot looked at Leigh when he felt her hand on his. He smiled and was comforted by her presence. "Well soon I gained everyone's respect, and dat's how I became Spot Conlon..the greatest newsie ever! " Spot added in an arrogant tone with a grin on his face. Leigh elbowed him in the side while laughing. She then grew serious.  
  
"Spot, don't ever let the past hold you back, you never know what you're missing." She said as she kissed him.  
  
"Well I don't want ta miss you, dat's for sure." He said while he kissed her back. 


	4. Stars Above

***Disclaimer***I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I don't own any of the characters except, Leigh, Ten, (Aunt) Claire, Rick, Conlon, Donna, Charles, and Red (There might be more, I think that's it though).  
  
***Notes***It was brought to my attention that it's a bit confusing when the time/scene changes. Sorry about that. To try to help make it less confusing:  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Means that we're going into the past/memory.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Means that we're going back to the present time.  
  
Now here comes the tricky one, ************ means that we're already in the past, but going even further into the past (a memory within a memory).  
  
I hope that will hope. Thanks sooo much for bringing it to my attention.  
  
"If you look up thousands Of shining stars Ever unchanging, gaze at us." (Hoshi no Manazashi; Gaze of the Stars: Gundam Wing)  
  
"I could tell you anything Leigh. I hadn't told anyone about me past in da longest time, and then you came along. I was always at ease when I was width you." Spot stopped his walking and took in his surroundings. He stood on the Brooklyn Bridge. "Alone." He thought to himself. He raised his head to the sky and studied the few stars that were visible. Leigh's voice began to fill his ears. "There's a star up there Spot, your star. It's waiting to guide you."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
The winter breeze nipped at Leigh's nose. She pulled her jacket closer to her, trying to stop the intruding wind from entering. Leigh made her way to the Brooklyn Bridge, where she had heard Spot was. She had grown concerned about him. "He hasn't been himself lately. I don't know what's da matter width him." She thought to herself as she continued to trudge through the snow, causing a crunching noise beneath her feet. "Well he's gonna tell me what it is, no objections, he's not getting around it." Leigh said aloud, while nodding her head in self-assurance.  
  
A few minutes latter Spot's figure came into view. He was leaning against one of the guardrails while looking across the body of water, which now held an ice cover upon it, beneath him. Leigh stared at him for a few minutes. "He seems so, so lonely." Leigh decided was the way he appeared. She continued to walk toward him.  
  
"Hey dere Leigh." She stopped due to her being shocked that Spot had known it was her. "But I guess he's always been able ta do that. Man it annoys me!" She thought to herself. "Hi Spot. What are ya doin'?" She asked as she reached his side. She began to gaze at the frozen water like Spot was.  
  
After a moment Spot spoke. "Just thinking." He said in a monotone voice. Leigh grew concerned. She turned to him, breaking her gaze upon the ice.  
  
"About what?" Spot looked at her. He thought for a moment, trying to think of a way to state his thoughts. Leigh waited for his response. Spot shrugged his shoulders.  
  
"Leigh, have ya ever.wondered where your life was heading? I mean, did ya ever think that maybe there ain't no point ta anything?"  
  
"So that's what's been bothering him." Leigh thought about his question before she answered. "Yeah. I have thought about dat before. But then I meet you and da rest of da guys, that's when I realized dat even if the woild wouldn't be any different widthout me, I still got people who care about me. Dat's why I think I'm still alive." She stopped and thought for a moment. "There were times in da past when I thought about ending it all, but I couldn't help but think ta myself that I'd miss out on somethin' if I did end it then and there. And I was right." She took Spot's hand in hers.  
  
"I'm glade you're here den." Spot said as he brushed a kiss on her rosy cheeks. They stood in silence for a moment until Spot's sigh broke it.  
  
"What is it?" Leigh asked.  
  
"It's just, well, how do I know that I'm headed in da right direction? I mean, I don't know if Brooklyn needs me. I don't know if there's anything that's mine, what'll lead me in da right direction?" Leigh snuggled into Spot's chest.  
  
"Look up into the sky Spot." Spot did as she said. "You see those stars up dere?" Spot looked closely and did see a few dim ones. He nodded his head. "Well there's a star up dere Spot, your star. It's waiting ta guide you. Whenever you close your eyes it'll always be dere, shinning inside of you. You'll never be alone Spot. There will always be someone or something guiding you." Spot wrapped his arms around her. They stood there beneath the stars and above the sleeping water in silence.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Spot lowers his head. "Leigh, I'm lost here in da dark. There ain't no light shinning anymore." Spot pulls himself upon the railing of the bridge. He stands steady upon it. His eyes close and he steps off of the railing.  
  
"What da hell do ya think you're doin'!?!" Spot looks up at Jack from the ground, where Jack has thrown him after grabbing him from behind before he had the chance to jump.  
  
"What does it look like? Really Jack at times ya amaze me at how dumb you can be!" Spot spat at him as he hoisted himself off of the ground.  
  
"You're callin' me da dumb one?! Well I hate ta break it to ya, but you're da idiot standin' on the railing of a bridge!" Jack crossed his arms. Studying his lost friend.  
  
"Yeah, and from what I'm seeing and feeling that's where I should be."  
  
"Well then, you'se ain't seein' clearly." Jack walked over to him. "Spot you're wrong." Spot's head jerked towards Jack, his eyes glossed over with hate and rage.  
  
"Where da hell do you get off tellin' me dat I'm wrong!" Jack was taken aback by Spot's powerful words. "You don't know shit Jack! I have no past, no future, only thing that I'se got is this!" Spot waved his arms around himself and his cold bare surroundings. "And that ain't lookin' good ta me! If I ended it now no one would care." Spot looked away from Jack.  
  
Infuriated at the way Spot was talking and acting Jack decided he needed to do something. "What da hell was dat for you son of a bitch!" Spot shouted as he placed his hand on the side of his face, trying to reduce the pain that was brought upon it from Jack's fist.  
  
"Dat was ta bring you to your senses." He answered pulling out a cigarette. "People would care Spot, especially Leigh." Spot raised his head at the mention of her name. Jack handed him the now lit cigarette. Spot thankfully accepted it. He drew in the smoke, then slowly released it.  
  
"Leigh's gone Jack." He quietly stated.  
  
"That's were you're wrong." Jack lowered himself to sit on the ground with Spot. Spot rested the back of his head against the support beam behind him.  
  
"Don't give me that shit Jack. I'm sick of hearing that she'll always be here." Spot motioned to his heart. "Well Jacky-boy, tell me how can she be here if it's broken." Jack placed his hand on Spot's shoulder.  
  
"Spot, that's not what I was going ta say. I was going ta tell you dat Leigh is still alive." Spot quickly turned to Jack.  
  
"What do you mean she's still alive?!" Jack began to laugh.  
  
"You said I could be da dumb one. I mean just what I said, she's still alive."  
  
"But how?"  
  
"I'll explain on our way ta Manhattan." Jack rose to his feet. Spot followed and the two began to walk.  
  
"Hey Jack." Jack turned to look at him.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Thanks fer bringing me back ta my senses." Spot said while gingerly rubbing his cheek. Jack laughed and lightly slapped him on the back.  
  
"No problem." The two continued their walk. As they walked Spot began to recall the night that led him here.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Leigh sat on her bunk. She silently played with a key that was tied to a string. Spot slowly approached her. He sat down next to her, not saying a word. Leigh tucked her legs underneath her and placed her head on Spot's shoulder. Spot placed his one arm around her and rested his chin upon her head. He waited for her to tell him what it was that was bothering her.  
  
"Why can't we forget da past?" Spot sighed. Maybe she finally was going to tell him what happened to her.  
  
"Because no matter how much we don't want it, it's still apart of us." He responded then added. "Ya know, when it hurts to much ta look back, and if you are to afraid ta look ahead, just look next to ya, because dat's where I'll be."  
  
Leigh snuggled into his shoulder more. After a few moments she began to speak again. "I miss my Dad." She said and then gave a short laugh. "Wow, doesn't dat sound pathetic?"  
  
"Not at all." Spot rubbed his chin against Leigh's head. Leigh let out a sigh.  
  
"Life use ta be good for me, but it only took one night ta change dat all for me." Leigh paused for a few moments to collect her thoughts. "It was always just me and my dad. We were inseparable. You see, me mudder pretty much doesn't exist." Leigh closed her eyes.  
  
************  
  
"Donna! Donna, don't do this!" Charles, Leigh's father, pleads with his departing wife.  
  
"Oh, now you want me ta stay?! For the past six years you didn't seem ta care if I was here." Donna says while grabbing a warn suitcase and placing a few articles in it.  
  
"That's not true!" Charles protests while he places his hand over the suitcase, shutting it. Donna glares at him with hate. No love exists within her eyes, and it makes Charles question if it ever did.  
  
Unknown to the both of them, their daughter, at the age of six, stood near their door, listening.  
  
"I suggest that you remove your hand." She waits. "Now!" Charles leaves his hand where it is. "If you think dat that is going to stop me from leaving this hell hole" She waves her arms around the small room. "well, then you've got another thing comin' to ya!" Saying that she quickly grabs the handle of the suitcase and yanks it out from under his hand and charges for the door.  
  
"Donna! Donna!" Charles grabs her hand, preventing her from leaving the room. "What about Leigh?" Donna turns around.  
  
"What about her?! She's the reason why I'm in dis hell hole!" Charles releases her hand due to the state of surprise he's in. Donna charges out of the door. As she leaves she sees her small daughter sitting behind the opened door. She gives her a look of disgust before she walks out of the apartment, and out of Leigh's life.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"From then on it was just da two of us. We were happy, even dough we didn't have all dat much, but we didn't need a lot."  
  
************  
  
Sleepily Leigh rubbed her eyes as she awoke from her slumber. Once she could see clearly she stretched her arms toward the ceiling and yawned, releasing a long drawn out sigh as she did so. Charles turned, hearing his beloved daughter awakening. He stood and pushed the wicker chair, which he had occupied, back beneath the small table. He smiled as he softly walked to were his 'angel' sat.  
  
"Good morning." He said while messing her hair up even more than it already was. Leigh giggled as she fought to remove her father's hand from upon her head.  
  
"Daddy! Daddy." She let out between the giggles. Charles removed his hand. He looked into Leigh's eyes, as she was busy trying to fix her hair. "Her eyes are exactly like her mother's." He sadly thought.  
  
"Come on then." He said while taking her hand and tugging her off of the sofa that she had been sleeping upon.  
  
"Where are we going?" Curiously she asked while straightening her plain gray cotton dress.  
  
"It's a surprise." Charles placed his hat upon his full head of black hair and the two of them left, Charles holding onto Leigh's small hand, locking the door behind them.  
  
The two made their way to a busy market and stopped at one of the booths. Charles talked to the vendor and then looked down at Leigh, who stood upon the tips of her toes, her hands gripping the side of the vendor's table, with her head peering over the edge of it.  
  
"Darling," Charles picked the small girl up and held her so that she could see the table. "I want you to pick one of these" he waved his hand over the large selection of keys that lay before them. "to keep for yourself."  
  
"But why Daddy?" She asked as she inspected the keys before her. Charles shifted Leigh's position and then answered her.  
  
"Because a key shows that you belong, that you have a home. This key will remind you, that no matter what, you'll never be lost, for you will always have this key, reminding you somewhere there is a home for you, where people love you." Leigh nodded her head, even though she did not entirely understand what her father meant.  
  
Leigh's eyes searched and sorted through the keys. Many were large in size with several teeth and twists. All the keys were of gold or silver. Leigh continued to look until her eyes fell upon a gold tarnished key. The key was not large or intricate compared to the others that lay beside it. It had two jagged teeth coming out from the side of it, which led up to the top of the key, which was a simple loop with a small design of interlocked medal finishing it off. Leigh pointed to the key and the vendor picked it up and placed it into her hand. She studied it and then looked at her father with a smile. He exchanged her smile with another.  
  
"We'll take this one." He said while turning to face the vendor. The vendor nodded and then stated the price. Charles put Leigh down and then reached into his pocket to pull out some money. He placed it into the other man's hand and then took Leigh's hand as they made their way home. 


	5. Memories

***Disclaimer***I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I don't own any of the characters except, Leigh, Ten, (Aunt) Claire, Rick, Conlon, Donna, Charles, and Red (There might be more, I think that's it though).  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~ Means that we're going into the past/memory.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Means that we're going back to the present time.  
  
********** Means that we're already in the past, but going even further into the past (a memory within a memory).  
  
"Oh how I love you so, lost in those memories And now you've gone I feel the pain, feeling like a fool, Adieu." (Adieu; Good-Bye: Cowboy bebop)  
  
Leigh holds in her hand the key she had just spoken of. "I really didn't get what da key meant at da time, but now I do." She moves to become more comfortable. "It comforts me. When I'm sad I hold it, and it reminds me dat one day I'll find a home, where I'm loved." She looks up at Spot. "And I think that I have finally found dat home." Spot bends over and places a kiss upon her lips. He draws back so that Leigh can continue.  
  
"Things were great, but then my dad was killed." Leigh said it in such a monotone voice that it made Spot shiver. "One night we were walkin' home from dinner, we had gone out for a small dinner cus it was my birthday, that's when it happened."  
  
*************  
  
"I can't believe you're sixteen. You're getting too old on me." Charles said while he walked beside Leigh. Leigh let out a laugh.  
  
"I'm getting too old?! Take a look at yourself dad! Really, the gray hairs do make you look younger than what you are." She said sarcastically with a laugh.  
  
"Oh is that so?!" He said as he grabbed her waist and began to tickle her.  
  
"Ha! Stop, stop-that--!" She shouted as she laughed. After a few more seconds he stopped and the two of them continued on their way home, joking and laughing with one another. As they reached an area in the street where there was dim lighting, if any light at all, they heard a gun shot. Charles protectively pushed Leigh behind him. The two stood afraid in the silence of the night.  
  
A young man came out from behind some shadows, holding the gun that they had heard fire earlier. He moved with effort because he was obviously under the influence of alcohol. He walked closer to the two of them. Charles squeezed Leigh's elbow to give her assurance that it was going to be fine. As he got closer Leigh could smell the liquor coming off of him. She also noticed he was bleeding from a gash on his forehead, right below his hat. "No doubt he fell or something." She thought to herself.  
  
He only looked to be about a year or two older than she was. She couldn't see him very well because of the bad lighting. He laughed, sending chills up her spine. And then, it happened in a second, though it seemed to be an hour, he shakily raised his gun and fired one shot, hitting Charles in the chest. Leigh screamed as she caught her father in her arms. The young man looked at his gun, and then at the person, who he just shot, he then turned and fled.  
  
Leigh held her father closely. She rested him upon her lap as she tore her dress, trying to dress his wound that was located in his chest. "Dad! Dad! You're gonna be okay dad! Come on dad, you're gonna be fine! See it's alright." Leigh said as she cradled him back and forth.  
  
"Leigh." Charles reached for her face. Leigh took his hand and placed it on her cheek, beneath her hand. Charles stared at his lovely daughter's face. "I'm sorry, it's not going to-" He paused, trying to breath. "be fine." Leigh viciously shook her head.  
  
"You're wrong dad! It will be fine! You'll see." Leigh tightly interlocked her fingers with her fathers. Charles stared into Leigh's tear- filled eyes.  
  
"I love you darling, and I'll be waiting for you, at, at our home." He squeezed her hand tightly, drew in one last breath of air and then mouthed 'I love you' to her before he closed his eyes.  
  
"NO! No, you're fine, it's going ta be fine!" Leigh screamed as she rocked back and forth.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
Spot whipped away the tears that were streaming down Leigh's cheeks. "Two bulls came over ta me after hearing the gun shots. They helped me and eventually got me ta tell dem what happened. A described what da guy looked like and one of dem said dey saw em and ran off in da direction he saw him running in."  
  
"Did they get em?" Spot asked anxiously. Leigh shook her head no. She released a sigh.  
  
"No. He said he saw him at da corner of 150th." Spot jerked at the mention of the street corner. Leigh noticed and asked if anything was wrong.  
  
"Uh, no, I just had ta move. Dat's all." He responded as he tried to cover up his jerk by acting like he was getting comfortable. Leigh thought nothing of it and continued.  
  
"Well he caught up width the guy but ended up loosing him er something." Leigh said with frustration. Shortly after dat I was contacted by me mudder. Can you believe dat bitch!?" Spot shook his head no. "Well she found out about my dad's death and all, but she didn't care about dat. She found out dat the government would give er money ta take care of me since she was now a widow! Well I wasn't about ta let dat happen, so I ran away. So now she gots da bulls after me."  
  
Leigh finished with a yawn. Spot gave her a hug and then pulled the blanket that was next to them, over her. After a little while she fell asleep do to the exhaustion of reliving her past. She stayed snuggled into his chest that gave off warmth. A feeling of protection and even love allowed Leigh to sleep peacefully for the first time in over a year.  
  
Spot thought about all that Leigh had told him. He especially concentrated on the part about the corner of 150th and the other things Leigh had said about the policeman.  
  
"It's not possible, is it?" He asked himself. "It couldn't be!" Spot looked down upon the sleeping Leigh. He then began to think of a certain night.  
  
*****************  
  
Spot was walking by himself, it was evening. He had been out for some drinks with a few of his friends earlier and now he was on his way home. He was thinking about the fight that he had gotten into earlier with one of his newsies. Red was the newsie's name. The fight really wasn't over anything important, Spot was now just worried about how he should handle it all.  
  
He continued on his way until he heard someone shout his name. Turning in response he saw Red standing before him. "Great." Spot thought to himself as he smelt the liquor off of him. "Hey dere Red. I was just thinkin' about ya." Spot said in a friendly manner. He could deal with Red, but if he could avoid a fight with him he would.  
  
"Is dat so SPOT." Red said as he jabbed his finger into Spot's chest. Spot looked up at him He couldn't see his eyes do to the cap that covered them, but he still gave him a death glare.  
  
"Don't do nothin' you're gonna regret." Spot said while crossing his arms. Red released a grunt of disgust.  
  
"Oh, believe me I won't regret dis." Red lunged at Spot, knocking him to the ground. The two struggled for a few moments. Each giving and taking their share of punches. Spot kicked Red away and got up from the ground. He went over to where Red laid and took him by the neck, and grabbed the back of his shirt, and then hoisted him off of the ground and slammed his head into a crate that sat across from them. Red let out a shout as he held his bleeding forehead. Spot stepped back, waiting to see if Red was done. Spot found out that Red wasn't ready to quit when he pulled out a small gun from the back of his pants. Spot quickly took action by charging at Red. As he did this he caused the gun to fire, but it hit no one. The two fought some more until Spot punched Red, knocking him out.  
  
Spot got up and quickly left. As he was leaving he noticed his head was throbbing. He removed his hat and as he did he noticed he had a gash on his forehead. He placed the hat back on his head and continued on his way.  
  
As he walked he heard another gun shot. He turned around to see if it was Red, but he didn't see him. The shot didn't sound like it came from anywhere near him so he continued walking until he heard a police whistle blowing. Spot once again turned around and this time he saw someone behind him. A police officer was running toward him while blowing his whistle. Spot looked around him, saw that there was no one else he could be after, and so he began to run.  
  
The officer had a good look at Spot when he turned around. He saw the gash on his forehead, and he also noticed that he was the same age as the girl described, and wearing a cap. He continued to pursue Spot until he lost him on the corner of 150th.  
  
Spot continued to run until he was sure that he had lost the police officer. "What da hell was dat all about?" He asked aloud to no one. He reached 'his' peer and took care of his wound and went to sleep, not to think of the occurrence again until later the next day.  
  
The following day Red never came back. Spot figured that he had decided to go to the Bronx, or maybe even Harlem, so he wasn't all that surprised. What surprised him though was when he heard from some of his newsies that he, Spot, was wanted for the murder of someone.  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oh god no. Red must've killed Leigh's dad, and since we both looked similar da bulls thought that I was Red. Shit! How am I suppose ta prove dat I'm not guilty when no one has scene or heard from Red since den. I can't tell Leigh! What if she believes dat I did do it? I'm not going ta tell her, I can't put er through dat." Spot decided to himself as he laid his head down upon the bed, Leigh still sleeping next to him. He closed his eyes and shortly afterwards he too began to fall asleep, with a feeling of ease, knowing that the one he loved was safely beside him. "That's how it's gonna remain." Was Spot's last thought as he gave into the sleep.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"I should have told her Jack." Jack continued walking, with Spot along side of him.  
  
"Yeah, no one's arguing with you on dat one, but we all understand why you didn't dough. Look Spot, what was said or not said doesn't madder now, what madders is dat she's alive, and dat we're going ta get her." Spot touched his chest where Leigh's key rested.  
  
"You're right Jack." Jack lightly laughed. He turned to look at Spot and grinned.  
  
"Well of course I'm right! I always am." Spot just gave him a 'sure you are' look in response. The two continued on in silence. 


	6. Slipping Away

***Disclaimer***I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I don't own any of the characters except, Leigh, Ten, (Aunt) Claire, Rick, Conlon, Donna, Charles, and Red (There might be more, I think that's it though).  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ past ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ present ************* memory within a memory  
  
"Holding each other, getting hurt, then loss-- Everyone hurts the one they hold most dear." (Through the Night: Outlaw Star)  
  
Leigh awoke the next morning, noticing that she wasn't in her bed. She glanced around, seeing that no one was in the room with her. Her eyebrows began to rise as she realized that she was in Spot's room. "What da hell?" She asked aloud.  
  
"You fell asleep in here last night. Do ya remember?" Spot asked as he entered his room, rubbing the remains of the shaving lather, which was on his face, off. Leigh smiled as she remembered what had happened the following night. A feeling of relief washed over her.  
  
"Sorry about dat." She removed the covers that Spot had laid upon her, revealing that she still was fully dressed from yesterday, and got up to wash.  
  
"It's all right. I was comfortable." Spot went over to his bed and sat upon it as he reached for his shoes that lay underneath it.  
  
"So, are we off ta Manhattan tanight? It is Friday, isn't it?" Leigh asked as she popped her head out from behind the side of the wall.  
  
"Yeah, we are." Spot finished tying his shoe. "I feel so guilty, but why? I mean it's not like I did kill er old man or anythin'." Spot rose from the bed. "I'll be outside." He shouted as he exited the room.  
  
"Alright. Be down in a few minutes." Leigh shouted back as she finished washing her face.  
  
"I guess I feel bad because I'm keepin' somethin' from er. Fine, I'll tell er, but not now. I'll tell er after tanight."  
  
"Hey! Youse ready? or are ya gonna spend all day dreamin'?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, let's go get our papes."  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"Hey! Youse gonna spend all night dreamin'?"  
  
"Huh? Oh yeah, sorry Jack. So where are we headed?"  
  
"To da refuge." Jack said as he searched for a cigarette in his coat pocket. Defeated in not finding one he let out an aggravated sigh. Spot tosses him one of his own cigarettes. Jack catches it and gives Spot a nod of thanks.  
  
"Aren't we gonna need help if she's in da refuge?" Jack drags on his cigarette, and he then offers it to Spot. Spot refuses it.  
  
"We do got help. Me boys are all waitin'. I can't stand seeing im like dis." Jack thought to himself as he saw the anguish and pain that lived within his friend. "I'm only glade dat it's not too late for im and Leigh. I can't believe dat night started off like any Friday. All of us were tagether and havin' a good time."  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
  
"Oww! I can't believe he hit me!" Mush gingerly touched his already bruising eye. Specs laughed as he elbowed his complaining friend in the side.  
  
"Come on Mush. You mean ta say dat you don't dink he had da right to?"  
  
"Well...no! I mean it's not like I knew dat it was his goil!" Mush said defensively, as Jack placed his arm on his shoulder.  
  
"Knew it or not, ya still kissed his goil." Jack gave his shoulder a little squeeze and then released his hold. Mush pouted his lip and sulked silently.  
  
The group, which grew lessor in number as the hour grew later, continued to enjoy their time. Eventually the only ones that remained were Jack, Spot and Leigh. Jack sat himself upon a park bench as he watched his two friends, who stood with their hands intertwined beneath a street lamp. Jack noted how the light seemed to glow around them. Spot starred into Leigh's eyes. She studied his. Jack, beginning to feel like he was intruding upon their privacy, decided he would excuse himself for the night in a few moments.  
  
"Leigh." Spot said while still starring into her eyes. "Might as well get it over with." He thought regrettably. Sensing that something was not right Leigh tilted her head.  
  
"What is it Spot?"  
  
"Leigh, dere's sometin' that you should-" Spot was stopped by being hit in the head hard by a club. Leigh let out a scream as she caught him. Jack looked up from his shoes that he had been studying at the sound of Leigh's scream. He saw Leigh holding Spot in her arms, while Spot had his hand to his bleeding forehead. He then saw the cause of it. A policeman holding a club.  
  
"Shit!" Jack jumped off of the bench and ran toward them. As he reached the officer he drew back his fist, and with a tremendous force, punched him, causing him to become unconscious.  
  
"Spot! Oh my gosh!" Leigh holds him in her arms. Jack looks up to see that several policemen now surround them. He grabs Spot, pulling him to his feet. As he does so Leigh is grabbed by a police officer. She is being pulled away from them by her arms. She struggles and fights, causing another officer to take hold of her, she can't fight the two men off.  
  
Jack releases Spot as he begins to fight off the large group of policemen that surround them. Spot hears Leigh screaming and races toward her. "Leigh! Leigh!"  
  
"Spot! Help me Spot!" Leigh breaks one of her arms free and reaches it out to Spot. Spot grabs it as guns fire. Leigh uses all the strength that she has within her and breaks free of the officers holding her, jumping in front of Spot and the bullets.  
  
"Leigh!!!!!!! Noooooo!" Spot catches her, who now has two bullet wounds. Jack hears Spot and tries to see what is happening but is unable to do so because of the officers surrounding him.  
  
"Leigh! Why did you do that?! You're gonna be fine Leigh!" Leigh smiles and begins to speak.  
  
"Spot, listen ta me. Quickly take, da necklace off of, me." Spot shakes his head no.  
  
"No. You need it!"  
  
"Spot." She says pleadingly. He releases a sob and then does as he is told. He now holds Leigh's key in his hand. "Always remember me, as loving you." Leigh begins to cough.  
  
"Leigh-" Spot was being pulled away from her, as a policeman was lifting her. "No! No!!!!" Three officers grab onto Spot to hold him back. One officer begins to shout to him his reasons for being arrested.  
  
"You are under arrest for the murder of Mr. Charles Austin." Spot immediately looks at Leigh who has now stopped struggling. Her face holds disbelief, but then it turns into hatred. She begins screaming at him.  
  
"How could you!!?? Murderer! Murderer!!"  
  
"No! No, Leigh!" The two still are being pulled apart, Spot watches Leigh. Her eyes close and her whole body goes limp.  
  
"Nooo!! Leigh!!!!!" He shouts as he watches her being placed into the police carriage. His eyes remain upon it as it rattles quickly away. He feels himself being released as he watches his love, his life, slip away from him. Jack grabs Spot, with his bloody hands, and begins to pull, drag him, having finished the last officer off.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
Jack unconsciously grabs his side where he had been injured as he remembered what happened that night. "There was no reasoning with Spot dat night. I can't believe dat it only happened a week ago. After it sunk in, what had happened, it was like hell for im, and everyone else, but who could blame im?" Jack thought as he recalled what happened later that night, or more accurately, that morning. 


	7. Gaining Hope

***Disclaimer***I don't own Newsies, Disney does. I don't own any of the characters except, Leigh, Ten, (Aunt) Claire, Rick, Conlon, Donna, Charles, and Red (There might be more, I think that's it though).  
  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~ past ^^^^^^^^^^^^^ present ************* memory within a memory  
  
"When nothing makes sense, I'll fight believing only in myself." (Gundam Wing - Heero Yuy)  
  
Jack had finally reached the lodging house. He looked up to the bunk room window to see if it was open, but he saw that it wasn't. Releasing a frustrated noise he placed Spot, who had not said or responded to anything their whole journey to the lodging house, against the brick wall. He just sat there, with a look of disbelief upon his face. Jack, worried, shook his head.  
  
He bent over and picked up a few small stones that lay on the ground that once were part of the cement staircase. Walking away from the staircase he moved so that he was inline with the bunkroom window. He lightly threw a few stones at it. After a few moments the window opened and Racetrack popped his head out of it.  
  
"Race! I need your help!" At the sound of his name he looked down and saw a bruised Jack standing below.  
  
"I'm coming!" He shouted back, not wasting any time. He and a few of the others were outside right away. "What da hell happened?!" Racetrack asked as he saw an injured Jack and Spot, with a bleeding forehead, sitting against the wall.  
  
"I'll explain latter." Jack said as he moved toward Spot. "Right now we have ta hide somewhere." Jack bends over and pulls Spot up. Kid Blink touches Jack's arm to signal to him that he would carry Spot. Jack allowed Kid Blink to do so but wondered why Blink did it.  
  
Seeing the look Jack made as he took Spot from him Kid Blink told him why. "You look like hell Jack." He said as he glanced over Jack's ripped and bloody clothing. "I figured you could use a break." Jack looked down at his shirt and for the first time realized how badly injured he was.  
  
"Thanks." He turned to Racetrack. "So, where can we go?" Race thought for a moment then motioned for the group to follow him.  
  
"There's a storage yard dat nobody uses not far from ere. It'll be a good place ta hide." Jack nodded his head in agreement. On their way there Jack retold the guys what had happened.  
  
"And Leigh?" Specs asked when Jack had finished. Jack remained silent.  
  
"She's, dead." He finally said. All of them lowered their heads. Spot still was in shock.  
  
They reached the yard and Bumlets dressed Jack's wounds, as Mush dressed Spots. Spot remained silent, but then he began to rock back and forth. "Spot? Spot!" Mush said as he held him.  
  
"Leigh? Where's Leigh?" He asked, looking up at Mush's worried face. Mush, not knowing how to respond, helplessly looked at Jack. Jack got up and sat beside Spot. Spot looked at him.  
  
"Spot," Jack said firmly. "Do you remember what happened?" Jack studied his eyes. A flash of hate passed over them.  
  
"Where's Leigh!!?" He shouted as he stood up. Jack stood up with him.  
  
"I couldn't get er Spot." Spot stood silent for a moment, but then un- expectantly he lunged at Jack.  
  
"What do you mean ya couldn't get er!?" He shouted as he punched Jack. Jack blocked the punches until Spot was pulled off of him. Jack stood up as the others held Spot.  
  
"You know she was put into da carriage. There was no way I, or you could get to er." He said calmly. Spot continued to struggle.  
  
"I left er! I left er!" He screamed. He stopped struggling and they released him. "I left er." He said as he fell to his knees, tears escaping his eyes. No one knew what to do. They had never seen Spot cry before. Jack moved forward and shook his shoulders.  
  
"You didn't leave er." He said as he tried to calm him. "There was nothin' that you could've done." Spot stopped crying and pulled himself back from Jack.  
  
"Is she-" He was unable to finish the question. Jack gulped, unable to speak. He looked at Spot, then nodded his head yes. Spot said nothing as Jack embraced him.  
  
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^  
  
"I was wrong dough. She still is alive." Jack thought to himself. "Now Spot, I don't know what kind of condition she is in. I only got woid dat she is alive and in da refuge on da second floor." Spot nods his head in response.  
  
"The only ding dat madders is dat she's alive." They stop and stand in an alleyway, about a street block away from the refuge. "So, what are we doin' here?"  
  
"Dis is where me boys are meetin' us." While saying this Jack crosses his arms and leans up against the wall. Spot uneasily paces as they wait. After about eleven paces the awaited arrive.  
  
"Hey Spot." Skittery says as he and the others enter the alleyway. Jack raises his head as Specs punches him lightly in the shoulder. He smiles and then calls for the group of nine's attention.  
  
"Alright fellas, listen up." He begins. The group quiets down. "Now the only ding we know for sure is dat Leigh is located on da second floor. In order ta get er out of dere we need all of your help."  
  
"So what are we each doin'?" Mush asks anxiously.  
  
"Well you, along width Blink are gonna be located on da roof. You are gonna be watchin' da outer area of da buildin' and Skittery." Jack looks at him. "Skittery, you'll be on guard at da bottom. If you hear or see anythin' signal up to Blink or Mush." The three of them nod their heads.  
  
"Specs, and Race." The two draw their attention upon Jack. "You two are gonna be workin da halls. You guys gotta get all da kids in dere ta make a lot of noise and stuff when it comes time for us ta get out of dere. Some of dem should know dat this is happenin' tanight. Can you do it?"  
  
"Sure ding." Specs says with a salute.  
  
"Good. Bumlets, you're gonna be our lookout on da second floor while Spot and I look for Leigh." Bumlets shakes his head in agreement. "And Jake, you'll cause a diversion outside ta help us get in easier."  
  
"I got ya covered."  
  
"Alright den. Dat covers everyone. Now when we get Leigh we'll tell da kids and they'll spread da woid ta everyone in no time."  
  
"We all leave tagether. No madder what." Spot says. Everyone shakes their heads in agreement.  
  
"Alright den." Jack says as he places his cowboy hat on. "Let's go." 


	8. Nothing Left

"You were all I wanted  
  
All my dreams have fallen down  
  
Crawling round and round and round" (Remy Zero - Save Me)  
  
Leigh lays on an old warn out mattress. She has bandages covering all of her wounds. Do to her critical condition she is located in a small room by herself. Word was sent to her mother that she had been found and injured by 'a gang of boys.' She was to pick her up some time that evening.  
  
Leigh had become unconscious while being placed into the carriage a week ago. When she awoke she found herself where she is now, in a small dimly lit room. When someone came to dress her wounds she did not fight or struggle to break free. It wasn't only because she didn't have any strength to do so, but mainly because she didn't care that she had been caught.  
  
The person that she had loved turned out to be the one who killed her father, whom she had loved dearly. If Leigh had anymore tears left to cry she would have let them freely shed, but she couldn't cry anymore. As the person left she spoke to someone outside of the doorway. Not knowing that Leigh could her she said to the person, "Poor thing. I'm surprised she's survived this long. She'll surely die by the end of the night though. She's just lost too much blood, and her injuries are so serious."  
  
"That's it. There's nothin' left for me ta live for." Leigh thought to herself.  
  
-------------------------------------  
  
The group, in pairs, make their way to the refuge. The gate in front was locked and guarded by two officers. "Stupid Bulls." Jack says under his breath. "Alright boys, let's go." he says as he glances over toward Jake. Jack nods to Jake as he gets the rope ready. "Jake, are ya ready?" He nods his head, hesitantly, and then approaches the gate.  
  
He turns to look at the guys, who wave at him to go. Releasing a sigh he walks to one of the two guards. Clearing his throat he gets their attention.  
  
"And what could we do for ya fadder?" One of the officers asks. Jake, wearing his cousin's priest attire, along with a top hat to cover his face, musters his voice and responds to the officer's question.  
  
"Good evening to ya, um, you." Jake tries to correct his bad grammar. "I need one of you, if you would be kind enough, ta bring me into da, the refuge." Jake says, while perspiration grows upon his forehead. The officers look at one another. Jake senses their questioning him. So he continues. "I have information on, um, da murderer Spot Conlon." The two guards immediately react to the mentioning of Spot's name.  
  
"Right this way then fadder." The officer extends his hand in the direction of the gate, Jake following it. As the two reach the main entrance to the refuge the others began to take part in the 'rescue mission'.  
  
Spot walks over to the guard that remained behind and taps him on the shoulder. The guard turns casually around but when he sees who has tapped him on the shoulder a look of shock comes over his face. "Hi." Spot simply says, enjoying the look of disbelief the guard gives him. The guard shakes his head and then reaches for his whistle. While he did this Spot balled his hand into a fist and then sent it into the guard's round and plump stomach. The guard takes a few steps back. Spot advances on him and punches him again, but this time in the face. Spot grabs the guard, who is on the brink of unconsciousness, Spot studies him for a moment then says; "This is for Leigh." as he punches him for the last time. The others come out from the shadows, and together enter the refuge premises.  
  
Jake made sure to distract the guard beside him while the others got through the gate. "Officer, do you.you" Jake stammers, trying to think of something to say. "Come on, just say something! Open your mouth and say something!" Jake tries, but he can't say anything.  
  
"What is it Father?" The officer asks with a strange look upon his face. Jake tries once more to say something.  
  
"Do you like dogs?" "Oh that was great! Dumbass!" Jake reprimands himself. The officer stares at him, baffled.  
  
"Umm, sure." The two finally enter the refuge. Jake was reminded of a quote that he had read when he had attended school as the door was closed behind them; "Ye who enter here abandon all hope." "They should have dat written above da door ta dis place." He thought to himself.  
  
Outside everyone had made it into the refuge's premises. Skittery splits apart from the group to find a lookout place for him to hide. After finding a large group of shrubs he situates himself. "Poifect, I can see everythin' from er." He says to himself. The shrubs are conveniently located near the center of the yard. He covers himself with a few branches and then begins to watch his surroundings.  
  
The remaining seven carefully make their way to the side of the building. Jack lassos his rope and with a swing and a flick of the wrist he releases it. The rope flies up and then falls back down to the ground. Jack gives a small smile as he picks the rope up that lay by his feet, he then repeats his throwing action. This time the throw is successful and it catches around a small brick chimney. Jack gives a nod to Kid Blink and Mush. Kid Blink gulps. "We gotta climb up dat thing?!" He quietly asks in shock.  
  
"What? You think you were gonna take da stairs?" Spot asks as he hands him the rope. "It ain't hard." Mush gives Spot a look of disbelief. "You can use da window ledges as foot holds." He says as he takes Kid Blinks' hand and places the rope in it.  
  
"Come on Mush." Kid Blink says as he begins to climb up the rope. Mush releases a long breath of air and then follows him. The remaining five depart and head for another way of entering the building. Kid Blink pulls himself up over the roof's edge. He sits for a moment, catching his breath.  
  
"Hey! A little help er?!" Mush says as he tries to pull himself up. Kid blink releases a small laugh as he stands up to help his friend. With both of them finally on the roof Kid Blink makes his way to the other side, so he can keep watch over there. Mush does the same to the side they climbed up.  
  
The five make their way to the backside of the building. "Now here comes da tricky part." Jack says as they stop.  
  
"Great." Bumlets says sarcastically. Spot looks up at their destination. A small-unbarred window is above him.  
  
"Dat's the only unbarred window in da place, except for a few dat are just not possible ta get into. It's only a storage room of some sort." Jack says as he studies the window with Spot. Race steps forward.  
  
"That's great and all, but how are we suppose ta get into a window dat's on da second floor?" He asks while crossing his arms. Spot turns to him.  
  
"It ain't dat high up." He says. Jack crouches down.  
  
"Come on Race, get on my shoulders." Racetrack just shakes his head in disbelief but gets on Jack's shoulders. Jack slowly gets up. "Ya know, it wouldn't hurt for ya ta--"  
  
"Shut-up Jack." Racetrack cuts Jack off. Jack doesn't continue what he was saying, he just grins. He unsteadily rises to the window. Race places his hands on the wall to help balance himself as he examines the window.  
  
"Just break the damn thing!" Jack hisses as his knees begin to wobble. Racetrack shrugs his shoulders and then sends his elbow into the glass. The window breaks. Racetrack removes the remaining shards of glass and then pulls himself threw. Jack rubs the back of his neck. Racetrack pops his head out from the now broken window.  
  
"Let's move it fellas!" He says to them below. Jack rolls his eyes and then kneels down. Spot walks over to him and places his foot in Jack's hands.  
  
"Ready?" Spot nods his head. Jack boosts Spot up and Racetrack grabs his hand and pulls him in. "Bumlets, you're next." Jack says. Bumlets and then Specs make it in the same way as Spot. "Now here comes the easy part." Jack says sarcastically. He takes a few steps back and then begins to run toward the building. When he reaches it he places his foot upon the wall to boost himself up. Spot is hanging out from the window and grabs Jack's arm. He pulls him in. Now all were inside. 


	9. Finale

This is the last chapter, but there is a second ending, I'll be posting it next week, so don't forget to come back if you want to read it. Thanks for the reviews, especially Falco!  
  
"The beauty of one's sorrow when parting is the evidence of the deepness of one's love. So-- if one fears sadness, one wouldn't be able to love anything." (Ah! My Goddess -- Belldandy)  
  
Leigh glances around her room. Her eyes rest upon a small mirror. She very slowly gets up and with great effort she makes her way toward the mirror. Once she reaches it she picks it up but then collapses to the floor out of exhaustion. The mirror breaks with her fall. Leigh looks at the shards of glass that now lay before her.  
  
-------------------------  
  
Jake tried to keep a large amount of officers busy by telling them of Spot and his whereabouts. "I saw him last in Queens." He said as he graciously drank from the glass of water that was given to him. Snyder looked at three of the officers that were beside him.  
  
"Get to Queens. Now!" He shouted to them. The men quickly left the room. Snyder turned to Jake. "Please continue father." Jake nodded his head at Snyder and the remaining two officers.  
  
---------------------  
  
Specs and Racetrack carefully made their way to the third floor. "Jake must be doing a good job keepin' all dem bulls busy." Specs says as he checks behind them to make sure no officers were there.  
  
"Yeah, let's just hope dey stay width em." Racetrack says in response.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Spot, Jack, and Bumlets make their way across the second floor. Bumlets heads to the opposite side of the hall to keep watch from there. Spot and Jack begin to check the rooms.  
  
------------------------  
  
Skittery remains in the shrubs. "Damn! My whole lower body is asleep." He says under his breath as he hits one of his numb legs. "Come on guys, hurry it up!"  
  
-----------------------  
  
Jake was running out of things to say to Snyder and the officers. "Yeah, he um, came to a , what ya micall it?"  
  
"Confess?" Snyder asks quietly. Jake looks up at him quickly.  
  
"Yeah, confess!" Jake gives a weak smile. "And dat's how I know where he is." Snyder slowly nods his head. Something just wasn't right is what plagued his mind.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Leigh reaches for a large shard of glass. Her bleeding fingers grab it and she sits still, starring at it. She breathes heavily due to her serious injuries.  
  
-------------------  
  
"God! Where is she Jack!?" Spot asks as they continue checking the rooms.  
  
"She's here somewhere." Jack says as he closes one door and Spot heads for another.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Leigh flips the piece of glass in her hand. A single tear falls from her eye. "Goodbye Spot." She says as she takes the glass to her wrists.  
  
-----------------------  
  
Spot unlocks the door he is at with his pick and opens it. He looks around and sees nothing. He turns to close the door but then the corner of his eye catches something. He turns to see what it is. As he turns his eyes behold Leigh. She is about to cut her wrists. "LEIGH!" Spot runs to her. Leigh looks up at him. Her eyes fill with pain at seeing him.  
  
"I'm sorry Spot." She says as he picks her up.  
  
----------------------  
  
"Who are you sir?" Jake quickly looks at Snyder. His eyes dart from him to the officers.  
  
"Uh, what do you mean? I'm, I'm a priest." Jake says while pointing to his collar around his neck. Jake shrinks into his seat. "This is not good." He thinks to himself. Snyder motions for the officers beside him to cease Jake. Jake quickly gets off of his chair and throws it at them. He runs out of the room, closing the door behind him. He looks to the side of the door and sees a chair. He takes the chair and quickly pushes it underneath the door handle, causing the door to be stuck shut. Jake quickly runs down the hall and out of the main entranceway.  
  
Skittery cracks his soar neck. "Man, this job stinks!" He thinks to himself. He stretches his numb legs. As he does this he sees Jake running out of the refuge. "Shit!!" He shouts as he gets up from his hiding place. His legs wobble as he stands. "Jake what's happenin'?!" He shouts to Jake, who is about twenty paces away from him. Jake quickly turns around.  
  
"There you are! Hurry signal ta da guys! They're onta us!!" Without any further delay Skittery looks up to the roof, his eyes frantically search for Kid Blink or Mush. "Blink!!? Mush!!!?" He shouts, not caring if anyone hears him at this stage of the game. A head pops up, Kid Blink's. "Hurry! We gotta get out of er!"  
  
Kid Blink shouts across the roof to Mush. "Come on! We gotta warn da other guys." Kid Blink and Mush rush to the door upon the roof, which leads them inside. They quickly run down the stairs, skipping at least three at a time.  
  
"Shit, shit, shit, shit---" Was all Mush said during their descent. Not caring if anyone is in the hall they are about to enter they fling the door open. Kid Blink looks down both ends of the hallway. He sees Racetrack looking out a window at the end of the hall.  
  
"Racetrack! Come on! We gotta get out of here!" He shouts. "Where's Specs?" He asks as he glances around.  
  
"He went down a floor ta see how da rest of da guys were."  
  
"I'll go down and get um." Mush says as he is already descending the stairs.  
  
"Alright. Now we gotta get out of he-"  
  
"Hey you! What are you doing?!"  
  
"Ah shit!" Kid Blink and Racetrack say in unison as an officer turns the hall and sees them. The two turn to run down the other way but see that two officers are already blocking it.  
  
------------------------  
  
"Where are dey?" Jake asks, not expecting an answer from Skittery. The two remain crouched behind a wagon, anxiously waiting to see the others exit the refuge.  
  
------------------------  
  
"Oh God Leigh!" Spot gently picks her up. Leigh stares into his eyes.  
  
"Why are you here?" She asked quietly. Spot bites his lip, trying to hold back the sob that fights to escape.  
  
"Because I love you Leigh." He says as he removes a strand of hair away form her face.  
  
"But I thought you-"  
  
"No, I didn't kill em. It's all a mist-" Leigh placed a finger over his lips.  
  
"Shhh. I believe you."  
  
--------------------------  
  
Mush flew around the corner, but then found himself upon the floor. He struggled to get up but someone was holding him down. Mush, with all his strength, got off the floor and with the attacker on his back ran backward against the wall, smashing him. Mush pulls away when the grip around his neck loosens. He turns to find Specs on the floor. "What the hell are you doing!?" Mush asks. Specs' head jerks up. Disbelief is written on his face.  
  
"I thought you were a bull! What da hell were you doin'!?" He asks as he rubs the back of his head. Mush shakes his head.  
  
"I thought da same thing." He extends his hand to help his friend off of the floor. Specs takes it but as he rises he falls back to the floor.  
  
"Damn it! I twisted my ankle!" Frustrated he slams his head against the wall, only causing himself to curse more from the pain.  
  
-----------------------------  
  
On hearing Spot shout Jack ran and entered the room he heard him shout from. When he entered he found Spot holding a lifeless Leigh. "God no." Was all that entered his mind. He rushed over to them and was grateful to see that Leigh was alive. Jack bent down to look at her. "Hey der doll." He sweetly said. He turned to Spot. "Come on, we need ta get goin'." The three, Spot carrying Leigh, made their way to the door. Upon leaving the room Jack hears fighting going on in the hallway. "Wait." He tells Spot as he holds up his hand to stop him. Jack exits the room and sees Mush looking down at Specs. "What da hell?" He thinks to himself as he hurries over to them.  
  
"What happened?" He asks when he reaches them. Mush now has Specs' arm wrapped around his shoulder. Mush supports Specs while they stand. "And why aren't you on the roof?" He asks while pointing to Mush. Then he points to Specs. "And you're suppose ta be on da third floor!"  
  
"Jack, da bulls are onto us! We gotta get out of here!" Mush says. Jack quickly turns around. "Hurry Spot! We gotta go!" he shouts. Spot comes out of the room, carrying Leigh. The five make their way down the hall, Specs using Mush for support.  
  
----------------------------  
  
Racetrack and Kid Blink go back to back as the officers advance on them. The two of them take fighting positions. As the fight is about to begin the building is filled with shouts and screams. The officers look at one another. Racetrack and Kid Blink use this to their advantage and begin to attack the officers. After a few swings finally all three are knocked out. Racetrack and Kid Blink look up when they hear someone running down the hallway, in their direction.  
  
"Come on guys! I got all da kids ta make a distraction. Let's get out of here!" Bumlets says as he reaches the two of them.  
  
-------------------------------  
  
"Hold on Leigh. We're almost out of here." Spot says as he protectively holds her. Leigh snuggles her head into his chest. The five of them meet Racetrack, Kid Blink, and Bumlets as they make their way out of the building. A few officers, that were not taking care of the other children, looking for Spot Conlon in Queens, or locked in an office, remain blocking their path. Jack, Kid Blink, Racetrack, and Bumlets fight with them, and quickly defeat them. They finally reach the exit to the refuge. They quickly run out of the door. Leaving the officers on the floor, and the shouting of children behind them. They run across the yard, Mush helping a limping Specs, and Spot holding an unconscious Leigh.  
  
Skittery runs out from behind the carriage, along with Jake. "Hurry guys! Re-enforcements are on dere way!" He shouts. With the sound of sirens about a block away they all run to take shelter in the shadows of the night.  
  
----------------------  
  
Spot sits upon the floor, holding Leigh within his lap. "Come on Leigh, ya gotta wake up." He gives her a light shake. "Please Leigh, please wake up." Tears fall from his eyes as he cradles her. A sigh is released from her. "Leigh!? Leigh, I'm not gonna lose you again! You're gonna be fine." He says while placing his hand beneath her chin. Leigh's eyes flutter open. She gives Spot a weak smile.  
  
"You're right, I will be fine, and so will you." She says in a whisper to him. "You still have my key?" Spot reaches inside his shirt and pulls the chain, which holds the key, off from around his neck. He places it in her hands. She smiles again. "Give me your hand." Spot places his hand over hers. Together they hold the key.  
  
"Leigh, I'm sorr-" Leigh shakes her head no.  
  
"Don't be." She says. Spot bends over, his lips cover hers and remain there for a moment. He then pulls away.  
  
"I love you Leigh."  
  
"And I you." She says. "Spot, all I ask of you, is dat you remember me, as loving you." With that said she takes one last look at her love, and then closes her eyes, never to be opened again. Spot releases the sobs he had been denying.  
  
"Leigh! Leigh!" Was all he could say as he cradled her lifeless body in his arms.  
  
~~~~3 months later~~~~  
  
Spot sat upon the edge of the Brooklyn Bridge. His head was raised to the night sky. His eyes were locked upon a single star. He held within his hand what meant most to him, the most valuable thing he ever owned, or ever would own. His thumb rubbed the key tenderly. Spot closed his eyes. "There's a star up dere Spot, your star. It's waiting ta guide you. Whenever you close your eyes it'll always be dere, shinning inside of you. You'll never be alone Spot. There will always be someone or something guiding you." Spot smiled and opened his eyes. "I love you Leigh." He said as he threw a single rose into the water below. He climbed over to the other side of the bridge and made his way to Manhattan, where friends awaited him.  
  
Don't forget, a second ending will be posted next week. 


	10. Alternative Ending

Okay then, this is an alternative ending. I know that the last ending was sad, sooo, this ending is not a sad one.  
  
Oh, I will be posting a new fic, probably in January; at least that's when I plan on starting and getting the first chapter done. So if you're interested check back with me in January.  
  
"For where thou art, there is the world itself, and where though art not, desolation"  
  
(Shakespeare -- Henry VI)  
  
Spot sits upon the floor, holding Leigh within his lap. "Come on Leigh, ya gotta wake up." He gives her a light shake. "Please Leigh, please wake up." Tears fall from his eyes as he cradles her. A sigh is released from her. "Leigh!? Leigh, you're gonna be fine." He says while placing his hand beneath her chin. Leigh's eyes flutter open. She gives Spot a weak smile.  
  
"You're right, I will be fine, and so will you." She says in a whisper to him. Jack walks over to where Spot sits, holding her.  
  
"Come on Spot. She still might make it if we get her ta da hospital." Spot nods his head yes. He slowly rises, making sure not to make any sudden movements that could harm her. Leigh snuggles into him. She feels no pain, only comfort from being in his arms. Those are the last thoughts that pass through her mind.  
  
Spot anxiously paced about the small-overcrowded waiting room. The previous night he and Jack had brought Leigh to the hospital. He still had yet to see her, and still waited to hear two simple words, two words that would either kill him, or give him life. Jack placed his hand upon Spot's shoulder as he was passing by him, to stop his pacing.  
  
"Come on Spot, sit down." He said in a pleading and concerned voice. Spot released a sigh but sat down next to him.  
  
As soon as he sat down he jumped back up seeing the doctor enter the room. "Conlons?" The doctor asked as he searched the room for someone to claim the name. He had not seen who had brought the girl in the night before. He noticed a young man jump at seeing him enter the room. "Conlon?" He directly asked Spot. Spot could only nod his head yes in response. The doctor cleared his throat. Jack stood up to stand next to Spot. "She'll live." He said. He continued on, speaking of her conditions and other things. But Spot heard none of that. The only two words he heard were "She'll live," and that's all that mattered.  
  
When Spot was back to reality Jack was tugging his arm. "Come on. We can see er." Spot looked at him and then nodded his head as he began to quickly walk towards Leigh's room. When they reached the door Jack remained outside. He figured he would let the two of them be alone.  
  
Spot slowly approached the bed. He was unsure if she was awake or not. He reached the edge of the bed and knelt down beside it. He looked at his love; she laid there, her eyes closed. Spot bent over the bed and placed a kiss upon her forehead. Her eyes slowly opened. She saw Spot smiling down upon her. She smiled back at him.  
  
"I thought I was gonna lose you again." He said, his eyes not breaking away form hers.  
  
"I'll never leave ya Spot." Her voice was dry and quite. "No madder what happens to us, will always be tagether." Spot cupped Leigh's face with his hands.  
  
"You're right." He said before their lips interlocked. Jack popped his head into the room to see if everything was fine. On seeing Spot and Leigh kissing he smiled and then soundlessly closed the door behind him. He made his way down the busy hallway.  
  
Spot sat upon the bed with Leigh's head resting upon his lap. She had fallen asleep there. Spot studied her. He finally had a reason to live he decided. He turned his head and looked outside of the window that was next to the bed they were upon. "There's a star up dere Spot, your star. It's waiting ta guide you. Whenever you close your eyes it'll always be dere, shinning inside of you. You'll never be alone Spot. There will always be someone or something guiding you." Spot smiled. "I finally found my star. I love ya Leigh." He whispered as he closed his eyes and drifted into a peaceful sleep. 


End file.
